There’s no point writing a fantastic post only to miss six simple ways to point people back to your sites (thus boosting your web presence and authority) because you were “just concentrating on getting the post done”. That’s why you should seriously think about taking the time to schedule not just your own posts, but also scheduling the email/social media promotion for them, AND take the time to schedule guest posts too.

Reasons to be a guest blogger

Guest blogging might seem like just another thing on the to do list. But there are a lot of benefits. You can generate additional traffic to your site if the website you’re guesting on has high visibility. If you provide super content (which you always should) it’ll bolster your own image, authority and credibility in your market. Guest blogging can also create opportunities where you’ll increase your own readership, find new affiliates or joint venture partners, and all kinds of other opportunities… just by simply exposing a new audience to your message and services.

Scheduling your Guest Posts

Decide on the number of guest posts you’d like to write per week before you ever begin your search. Even one guest post per week is a wonderful tool, if you are consistent and regular about that goal. One guest post per week (or month) is a far betterreputation builder than twenty posts all at once, followed by six months of silence.

Take some time to research them – Don’t fire off an offer to guest blog at every good blog you come across. Do your research: When you find a blog that seems a likely candidate, pay attention to whether or not they:

• Give their guest posters bylines, bios or resource boxes

• Allow their guest posters a link back to their blog

• Allow do-follow links

As you come across sites you want to write for, devise a strategy and determine when you can work them into your schedule. Also consider that the website owner has his or her own schedule too. So for example, just because you can write the blog for next month, doesn’t mean the website owner has time or space for you until 2 months from now.

When your post gets published….

Remember – your job is not over and done with when the post is published. That’s when you should be kicking into high gear, cross-promoting it on Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, your mastermind groups and forums, and other social networks you belong to. Stick around – answer questions and participate in the discussion for a few days after the post appears. And lastly – never forget to say thank you to the website owner who hosted you. take some time to even ask for feed back! While they might not have any advice for you, they’ll remember you cared enough to ask.

Managing the Guest Blogging Process

How are you planning to handle your guest blogging activities? Will you dedicate one day a week? One post a week? Develop a policy of never turning anyone down? Be very choosy, and focus on only a few blogs?

How will you measure “success?”

What would “success” look like to you once you’ve made this investment of time? How will you know it’s worth your effort? Would it be making new friends? Getting loads of comments? Becoming one of the “in” crowd? Being approached by an industry figure you respect as a potential Joint Venture partner?

Guest blogging can create alot of opportunites you can’t even imagine… the important thing is to consider consistency and quality before embarking on this endeavor.